Car-coupling



(No Model.)

W. J; BLACK 8v G. H. LIGO.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 31, 1893.

orgc ys.

WILLIAM J; BLACK AND GEORGE H. LIGO, OF INDIAN RUN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,707, dated October31, 1893.

Application filed July 8, 1893. Serial No. 479,948. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. BLACK and GEORGE H. LIGO, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Indian Run, in the county of Mercer andState of Pennsylvania, have Invented a new and useful Car-Coupler, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofcar couplings, and to provide one which will be simple and inexpensivein construction and which will be capable of automatic coupling andready uncoupling, and which will not necessitate persons going betweencars during coupling.

The invention consists in the construction, and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings:-Figure 1 is a perspective View of a car couplingconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view showing a portion of two cars coupled, the coupling hookof one of them being shown elevated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a reverseplan view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the draw-' Ings.

1-1 designate a pair of draw heads projecting outward from the car 2,and connected by a transverse bar 3, on which is journaled a couplinghook 4, which is adapted to engage the bar 3, of a similar car coupling,whereby cars are coupled. The hook 4, is approximately V-shaped and isprovided at its apex with a depending head 5, to engage the bar 3, ofanother car coupling, and is provided at the inner ends of its sideswith bearing openings to receive the bar 3, which is preferably roundedthe entire distance betweenthe drawheads 1. At its outer end the hook isprovided on its upper face with a T-shaped lug 6, to which may beattached any suitable means for enabling the coupling hook to beelevated from the top and sides of the car to avoid going between thecars.

Preparatory to coupling, the hook 4, is elevated as illustrated indotted lines in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and is supported bya disk 7, which is eccentrically mounted at the inner side of one of thedrawheads and is adapted to be adjusted by rotation to support thecoupling hook at the desired position, which is slightly beyond thevertical, to cause the coupling hook to fall by a slight jar incident tocars coming together and to engage the transverse bar of a companioncoupling. The draw-heads are slidingly mounted on the car and arecushioned by springs 8, which are disposed on the shanks of thedraw-heads and interposed between keyed collars 9, and plates 10, of theadjacent end sill 11. The end sill of the car has a plate 12 secured toits outer face against whichthe draw-heads bear; and the jars incidentto coupling are amply sufficient to cause the coupling hook to fall.

It will be seen that the carcouplingis simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it is capable of automatic coupling,and that it does not necessitate persons going between the cars.

The coupling hook may be readily lifted out of engagement with theopposed transverse bar as easily as an ordinary coupling pin is liftedout of engagement with thelink; and it cannot become accidentally thrownout of such engagement by the jolts and jars incident to the passage ofthe train.

Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

The draw-heads are solid and project from the car to form bumpers andhave separate shanks upon which the said springs 8, are mounted.

What we claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of paralleldraw-heads, a transverse bar connecting the draw-heads, and a couplinghook having separated sides journaled on the transverse bar and adaptedto engage the transverse bar of a similar car-coupling, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a car coupling, the combination of parallel draw-heads, atransverse bar connecting the same, a coupling hook journaled on thetransverse bar and adapted to be swung upward to a vertical positionpreparatory to coupling, and to fall by the jars incident to coupling,and a disk eccentrioally mounted on one of the draw-heads and arrangedin rear of the coupling hook and forminga support for the same when thecoupling hook is elevated, substantially as described.

3. In a car coupling, the combination of the two separate soliddraw-heads forming bumpers and having independent shanks, spiralcushioning springs arranged on the said shanks, and the coupling hookpivotally mounted between the draw-heads, substan' tially as described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures [5 in the presence of two Witnesses.

'WILLIAM J. BLACK.

GEORGE H. LIGO.

lVitnesses:

ANDREW A. MONTGOMERY, WVALTER E. LIGO.

